This invention relates to means for protecting the tracks in a track-laying logging vehicle--such means including for each track a rear bumper, a rear fender, and lateral track guide plates.
Very often during operation of such a vehicle, debris and other objects become lodged between the tracks and the sprockets therefor--inhibiting free movement of the tracks, and causing damage and derailment.
Another concern is that, when operating such a vehicle in reverse, driver carelessness and/or obscured rear view often result in ramming of the tracks into obstacles. This, of course, can damage rear idlers, and possibly cause derailment.
The kind of vehicle with respect to which the present invention is contemplated for use is employed in logging operations where logs, or more particularly, the ends of bundles of logs, are hoisted, and a bundle is dragged from one place to another. Such dragging is accomplished by attaching cables which extend from the vehicle to such log ends, hoisting these ends off the ground, and then transporting the logs. The raised log ends, under such circumstances, hang loosely from the cables--with the opposite ends of the logs resting on the ground.
Under such circumstances, it is often the case that the raised log ends bump and snag against the rear portions of the tracks as they are being hoisted, and also as the logs are being dragged, with such action causing debris, for example loose tree bark and chipped wood, to lodge in the tracks, and to cause track derailment.
If a track becomes damaged, or derails, it is necessary for the operator to stop the vehicle and to repair damage. Such, obviously, slows down a logging operation, is inconvenient, and also costly.
A general object of the present invention, considering all of the above-mentioned situations, is to provide satisfactory means for protecting the tracks in such a vehicle against wear, tear and derailment.
More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide, for each track, a pair of guide plates disposed outwardly of the track, with one adjacent the front and the other adjacent the rear of the track. Such plates inhibit complete derailment of a track.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such protection means which also includes structure for preventing damage to rear idlers. Proposed according to this object of the invention, for each track, is a bumper attached to the vehicle's frame and extending substantially horizontally adjacent the inside and the rear of each track.
Further included in the invention, for each track, is a fender which forms a protective apron extending over the rear end of the track. Each fender is anchored both to the vehicle's frame and to the associated bumper.
With such construction, the fenders, in addition to providing overhead protection for the rear ends of the tracks, also function cooperatively with the bumpers to form an upwardly facing, generally horizontal support surface for the raised ends of loaded logs. More particularly, this support surface is shaped, as will below be explained, to facilitate log hoisting, and also to provide a place of rest for raised log ends during a transporting operation. With such support made available, breakage in the cables that are used to lift the logs is substantially eliminated.
These and other objects and advantages which are attained by the invention will become more fully apparent as the description which now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.